Notice – This verification service is provided courtesy of the European Union and is subject to EU rules governing data retransmission. The objective of this Internet site is to allow persons involved in the intra-Community supply of goods or of services to obtain confirmation of the validity of the VAT identification number of any specified person, in accordance to article 27 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1798/2003 of 7 October 2003. Any other use and any extraction and use of the data which is not in conformity with the objective of this site is strictly forbidden.

Any retransmission of the contents of this site, whether for a commercial purpose or otherwise, as well as any more general use other than as far as is necessary to support the activity of a legitimate user (for example: to draw up their own invoices) is expressly forbidden. In addition, any copying or reproduction of the contents of this site is strictly forbidden.

Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

Q1 - What is the VAT Information Exchange System (VIES)? Q2 - How is this information obtained?Q3- Why do certain software suppliers ask for a VAT identification number when I purchase over the internet?Q4 - How up-to-date is the data? Q5 - Can I make batch requests?Q6 - Will further information be made available?Q7 - The system indicates that a number is invalid. What action should I take?Q8 - Do I need to have a valid VAT identification number for my customer before I make an intra-Community supply?Q9 - Do I need a valid VAT number for my recapitulative statement?Q10 - What is a recapitulative statement?Q11 - Is it possible to know the algorithms used by Member States in the construction of their VAT identification numbers?Q12 - What do I have to do if my own VAT number appears as invalid? Q13 - What do I have to do if the VAT number of my customer appears as invalid? Q14 - What do I have to do if the web site doesn't run? Q15 - Is it possible to have the name and/or the address linked to a VAT number? Q16 - Is it possible to have an open interface to the Commission's web site?Q17 - Is it possible to get the VAT number of a customer/supplier knowing his name and address? Q18 - What do I have to do if I can not check the validity of the VAT number of my customer?Q19 - Austrian VAT numbers have an "ATU" prefix, but the Commission's web site only provides an "AT" prefix for Austrian numbers.Q20 - Is there a database with all VAT registered persons available?

Q1: What is the VAT Information Exchange System (VIES)?

It is an electronic means of transmitting information relating to VAT-registration (= validity of VAT-numbers) of companies registered in EU. Furthermore, information relating to (tax exempt) intra-Community supplies between Member States' administrations is also transmitted via VIES.

Q2: How is this information obtained?

The information relating to VAT-registration data is captured by the national administrations and fed into national databases. This applies also to the intra-Community supplies declared on 'recapitulative statements'.

Q3: Why do certain software suppliers ask for a VAT identification number when I purchase over the internet?

Suppliers of electronic services, such as anti-virus updates are obliged to charge VAT on the service. If the purchaser of these services is a taxable person, then in certain circumstances, it is the customer, rather than the supplier who must account for the VAT. For this reason, the supplier may ask for the VAT identification number of the customer, so that he can confirm whether it is he who must charge the VAT or whether the customer himself will account for the VAT. If the customer does not have a valid VAT number, then the supplier will charge VAT.

Q4: How up-to-date is the data?

The data is real-time. Each time you make a request, a message is sent to the Member State which issued the VAT identification number asking if the number quoted is valid.

Q5: Can I make batch requests?

Yes. The system has been designed to allow for batch processing of multiple requests.

Q6: Will further information be made available?

No. Only confirmation on whether or not a number is valid.

Q7: The system indicates that a number is invalid. What action should I take?

A number can be invalid for a number of reasons. In the first case, check with your customer that the number quoted by him is correct (correct number of characters, correct length). If the number quoted by your customer, even after checking, continues to be invalid, you should ask him to contact his tax administration.

Q8: Do I need to have a valid VAT identification number for my customer before I make an intra-Community supply?

To make an intra-Community supply without charging VAT, you should ensure that the person to whom you are supplying the goods is a taxable person in another Member State, and that the goods in question have left, or will leave your Member State to another MS. VAT-number should also be in the invoice.

Q9: Do I need a valid VAT number for my recapitulative statement?

Yes. The number of your customer quoted in your recapitulative statement which you submit to your tax administration must be correct.

Q10: What is a recapitulative statement?

Taxable persons making the intra-Community supplies report the
total supplies
in the relevant quarter to
each taxable person in another Member State on
a recapitulative statement which is submitted to the tax administration of the taxable person making the supply.

Q11: Is it possible to know the algorithms used by Member States in the construction of their VAT identification numbers?

The structure of these algorithms cannot be divulged. However, the structure of VAT identification numbers is given in the table below.

VAT identification number structure

Member State

Structure

Format*

AT-Austria

ATU99999999 1

1 block of 9 characters

BE-Belgium

BE0999999999 2

1 block of 10 digits 3

BG-Bulgaria

BG999999999 or
BG9999999999

1 block of 9 digits or
1 block of 10 digits

CY-Cyprus

CY99999999L

1 block of 9 characters

CZ-Czech Republic

CZ99999999 or
CZ999999999 or
CZ9999999999

1 block of either 8, 9 or 10 digits

DE-Germany

DE999999999

1 block of 9 digits

DK-Denmark

DK99 99 99 99

4 blocks of 2 digits

EE-Estonia

EE999999999

1 block of 9 digits

EL-Greece

EL999999999

1 block of 9 digits

ES-Spain

ESX9999999X
ESX9999999X 4

1 block of 9 characters

FI-Finland

FI99999999

1 block of 8 digits

FR-France

FRXX 999999999

1 block of 2 characters, 1 block of 9 digits

GB-United Kingdom

GB999 9999 99 or
GB999 9999 99 999
5 or
GBGD999
6 or
GBHA999
7

1 block of 3 digits, 1 block of 4 digits and 1 block of 2 digits; or the above followed by a block of 3 digits; or 1 block of 5 characters

HU-Hungary

HU99999999

1 block of 8 digits

IE-Ireland

IE9S99999L

1 block of 8 characters

IT-Italy

IT99999999999

1 block of 11 digits

LT-Lithuania

LT999999999 or
LT999999999999

1 block of 9 digits, or 1 block of 12 digits

LU-Luxembourg

LU99999999

1 block of 8 digits

LV-Latvia

LV99999999999

1 block of 11 digits

MT-Malta

MT99999999

1 block of 8 digits

NL-The Netherlands

NL999999999B99
8

1 block of 12 characters

PL-Poland

PL9999999999

1 block of 10 digits

PT-Portugal

PT999999999

1 block of 9 digits

RO-Romania

RO999999999

1 block of minimum 2 digits and maximum 10 digits

SE-Sweden

SE999999999999

1 block of 12 digits

SI-Slovenia

SI99999999

1 block of 8 digits

SK-Slovakia

SK9999999999

1 block of 10 digits

Remarks:

Notes:

1 : The 1st position following the prefix is always "U". 2:The first digit following the prefix is always zero ('0'). 3: The (new) 10-digit format is the result of adding a leading zero to the (old) 9-digit format.4: The first and last characters may be alpha or numeric; but they may not both be numeric.5: Identifies branch traders.6: Identifies Government Departments.7: Identifies Health Authorities.8: The 10thposition following the prefix is always "B".

Q13: What do I have to do if the VAT number of my customer appears as invalid?

The VAT number verification service is a real-time system which checks the validity of VAT identification numbers against the databases maintained by Member States. In other words, when you check a number, it is the database of that Member State that is being checked.
If the VAT number of your customer comes up as invalid, then he should take the matter up with his fiscal administration.

This is a known problem, and the European Commission is working with Member Statesto ensure that the length of time that their databases are down for updating is kept to a minimum.

Q15: Is it possible to have the name and/or the address linked to a VAT number?

Certain Member States permit the display of the name and address of the taxable person where the VAT number is currently valid. If no name/address is displayed, this means that the relevant Member State does not permit the display of this data.

Customers have the right to get confirmation from their own tax administration if a VAT identification number is associated with a name and/or address.

Q16: È possibile avere un'interfaccia aperta con il sito web Kyckr?

A SOAP service, offering the same functionality as the interactive service is available. Please contact
support@kyckr.eu

Q17: Is it possible to get the VAT number of a customer/supplier knowing his name and address?

The service not have access to this information.
The service only allows you to confirm the validity of a customer's VAT number.
The VAT number should be supplied to you directly by your customer/supplier.

Q18: What do I have to do if I can not check the validity of the VAT number of my customer?

If you believe that your customer is not a taxable person, you should not exempt the supply and you should charge VAT.

Q19: Austrian VAT numbers have an "ATU" prefix, but the Commission´s web site only provides an "AT" prefix for Austrian numbers.

The correct prefix for Austria is "AT". The first position for Austrian VAT numbers is always "U". You should therefore enter a "U" as the first character when verifying an Austrian VAT identification number.